Darla's Adventures of Jungle Book
by PerkyGoth14
Summary: Darla accompanies Cherry, Atticus, Mo, and Patch to revisit a certain jungle where they met the one called Mowgli The Man Cub after he starts living in the jungle with other humans in order to fit in and start a new life, but he's anything but happy as he misses the life he once had in the jungle and to make matters worse, Shere Khan is revealed to be coming back soon for revenge.
1. Chapter 1

Cherry, Atticus, and Mo and the others were getting ready to visit the jungle village where Mowgli now lived in after defeating Shere Khan and meeting Shanti.

"So, you guys have been to this jungle before?" Darla asked her big brother and his friends.

"Yep." Atticus nodded.

"That must've been amazing..." Darla replied.

"I'll tell you the story some time, but I believe it's time we get going," Atticus smiled to her. "Mom and Dad will watch you."

"No, we can't, we have to meet in the Netherworld." Patrick replied.

"I can stay here home alone." Darla offered.

"Yeah, then Atticus will get paranoid and just come right back." Cherry teased about the time Apple Bloom stayed home alone and Applejack had a freak out.

"You're going with Atticus." Emily said.

"Aw, come on, I'm not a baby..." Darla pouted.

"You're not old enough to be left home alone." Patrick said.

"Aw, come on, yes I can..." Darla replied.

"You're going and that's final." Emily told her.

Darla soon sighed. "All right, I'll go..."

"Alright." Cherry shrugged.

"We just have to get going," Atticus said. "We might get there by dark."

* * *

Soon enough, everyone went their separate ways and where he was right about getting there by dark.

"What's that chirping sound?" Darla asked. "Sounds too loud to be crickets."

"It's probably tree frogs, they like warm climates." Cherry replied.

"Yeah." Atticus said.

"I'm just glad the scorching sun isn't out anymore," Patch said as he panted slightly. "I felt like my spots were gonna melt off my fur."

"I'm sure it'll be cooler tomorrow." Mo said.

Cherry looked around until she tripped and rolled down a hill.

" **CHERRY!** " The others panicked.

Cherry grunted and gasped as she kept falling and soon landed into the village. "Oh, sure, why not?" She groaned.

Atticus soon slid down swiftly and easily with Mo beside him while Darla was coming down safely with Patch. "You okay, Cherry?" he asked.

Cherry glared up in deadpan. "I'm just dandy! I love falling down and humiliating myself like Charlie Brown!"

"I'll take it you're not fine." Atticus said.

Cherry soon stood up and dusted herself clean.

Darla looked over in the distance and she saw what looked like a puppet show by a fire. "Ooh." She smiled.

"Darla, don't wander off too far!" Patch warned as he and the others came to join her.

"I won't." Darla said.

* * *

They soon caught up and they came further into the village to see what was going on. It was indeed a puppet show. It started out with a panther with a bouncing baby boy on its back.

"This is me and Bagheera," Mowgli's voice narrated. "The panther who found me in the jungle. He's a good friend of mine, but my best friend of all was good old Papa Bear." he then showed a puppet which was a large bear which of course was Baloo.

 _'Aw!'_ Darla thought to herself.

"We had some crazy times together," Mowgli continued. "Though the most craziest time of all had to be when we met those kids who could talk to animals, the first time I've seen other humans."

"He's talking about you guys." Darla whispered to Atticus, Mo, and Cherry.

"Thank you, I couldn't tell." Cherry deadpanned.

Darla simply smiled bashfully.

"And when the monkeys grabbed me," Mowgli continued his story. "Things got really crazy!"

 _'It sure did.'_ Mo thought to herself.

"Monkeys!" A young voice cheered.

"Who said that?" Darla asked as she looked around.

Cherry, Atticus, Mo, and Patch moved closer into the village to see that Mowgli appeared to be with Shanti which wasn't a surprise, but he seemed to be with a different family. Perhaps the human family who took him in after he left the jungle.

 _'That sort of answers my question.'_ Darla thought to herself.

Mowgli got to the part about the tiger known as Shere Khan which made a young boy try to fight him for threatening Mowgli, Cherry, Atticus, and Mo. Darla giggled as she found what young boy was doing funny.

"You stay away from Mowgli, you mean old tiger!" The young boy glared at the screen. "Or I'll tie some fire to your tail and burn your butt!" he then tackled the screen as he took the puppet play a little too seriously and where this was very entertaining for everyone.

Mowgli hid a smirk as he saw the young boy playing with the screen which made everyone laugh. He soon went to the young boy to pull the screen off him after a few laughs.

"I got him, Mowgli," The young boy smiled. "Did you see? I got him!"

"You sure did, Rajan, but it's gonna be kinda hard to finish the story now." Mowgli replied.

 _'Oh, I bet Rajan already knows how the story ends.'_ Patch thought to himself.

"But we all know how it ends," Rajan told Mowgli before he wrapped the sheet around him to look like a girl before balancing a pot on his head. "Shanti blinks her big, beautiful, brown eyes at you and you follow her into our village."

"I did not!" Shanti giggled as she took the pot from the younger boy.

"Did so." Mowgli smirked as he blinked his eyes at her.

"Something was in my eye!" Shanti defended.

"Come on, Shanti, we _all_ know that story." Patch's voice said.

Everyone then turned to see Cherry, Atticus, Mo, and Patch had come back into the village though they had Darla with them this time.

"Hi." Darla greeted.

"Oh, hey, guys," Mowgli smiled. "What a surprise, and who's this?"

"She's pretty..." Rajan smiled shyly to Darla.

"This is my little sister, Darla." Atticus introduced.

"It's nice to finally meet you." Darla smiled to Mowgli.

"Hi there," Mowgli smiled back to Darla. "Oh, your skin's so soft."

"Not as soft as Shanti's~" Rajan teased like a little brother.

"Rajan!" Shanti blushed.

"Besides, something was in both your eyes, Shanti?" Patch teased.

"Well, Mowgli was so ugly that it made my eyes water!" Shanti replied.

"Sure." Patch smirked with an eye roll.

"Now, now, we give thanks for Shanti's beautiful brown eyes," The adult man smiled as he came between Mowgli and Shanti. "Without him, Mowgli would never have found the way into our lives," he then came to his wife as she folded up the sheet. "Come to think of it, you used the same trick on me."

"And you still fall for it." His wife teased as she curled her finger in his beard.

This caused the kids to laugh.

"Thank you for a wonderful story, Mowgli." Shanti's mother smiled before putting her arm around her daughter so they could go home.

 _'I wonder where we'll stay?'_ Darla thought to herself.

"So, you're the ones who helped Mowgli against Shere Khan," Mowgli's adoptive father said. "It's so nice to meet you."

"Sorry we didn't have the pleasure before, but we had to get going," Cherry replied. "And sorry we're a bit late, we did what we could to get here."

"Well, it's nice to meet you and you are free to be guests in our village," Mowgli's adoptive mother smiled. "We have spare rooms if you'd like to stay with us, my husband is the leader after all."

"Thank you, ma'am." Atticus smiled.

"Good night, Mowgli~" Shanti smirked and batted her eyelashes to the former feral boy as she went home with her mother.

"Good night, Shanti; watch out for Shere Khan on your way home." Mowgli smirked.

Shanti gasped slightly before glancing back at him. "You and your stories," she then shook her head. "Everyone knows that tigers don't come into the village."

Rajan soon snarled and became menacing against her. "Tigers go wherever they _want_!"

This caused Shanti to back up into her mother.

"Good night, boys." Shanti's mother told Mowgli and Rajan as she took Shanti back to their home.

Mowgli chuckled. "Tomorrow's gonna be so great."

"And what happens tomorrow?" Mowgli's adoptive mother smirked.

"Um... Nothing!" Mowgli and Rajan smiled sheepishly.

Cherry, Atticus, Mo, Patch, and Darla hid looks on their faces knowing that had to be something.

"Uh-huh, sure." Atticus smirked.

"Uh-huh," Mowgli's adoptive mother agreed. "Well, you'll need plenty of rest for doing nothing tomorrow. Off to bed."

"Aw... We never get to stay up late!" Rajan pouted and folded his arms while yawning.

"Oh, but even wild beasts need their rest." Mo smirked playfully.

"Oh, she's very right," Mowgli's adoptive father agreed as he picked up Rajan before he acted like a wild animal and wiggled around. "Oh, help, ferocious tiger!"

Mowgli smiled to his adoptive family softly as it made him wonder about his biological human family before he was found in the jungle.

"Good night, my little wild thing." Mowgli's adoptive mother soothed as she held Rajan to help him fall asleep.

 _'He sure is a little wild.'_ Mo thought to herself.

"Good night, Mowgli, happy dreams." Mowgli's adoptive father hugged the boy.

"Um... Good night... Sir." Mowgli replied.

 _'Sir?'_ Atticus thought to himself. _'Why didn't he call him 'Dad'?'_

"Why do you call him 'sir'?" Rajan asked Mowgli as he took his hand on their way to bed as he seemed to be thinking the same thing Atticus was thinking. "His name's Pop."

* * *

"This is where you all will stay, I trust it's enough room." Mowgli's adoptive mother smiled to the guests as she showed a large room with guest beds and a hammock by the window.

"Thank you... Um..." Cherry was about to say.'

"Messua." The woman gave her name.

"Thank you, Messua." Cherry said.

"Of course, you all have a good night now and we'll see you in the morning." Messua smiled.

They all then quickly unpacked and got settled into their guest beds. Patch climbed into the hammock to try it out while Atticus and Mo decided to share a bed together while Cherry was given her own since she liked her privacy. Darla was given her own bed as well.

'You sure you wanna sleep in the hammock, boy?" Atticus asked his dog since he usually slept at the foot of the bed.

"Just wanna try it out," Patch smiled as he adjusted himself in the hammock. "I'll be in shortly if anything changes."

"Okay." Atticus said.

Patch soon yawned and stretched as he fell asleep in the hammock.

* * *

It was easy for everyone to fall asleep since they had a long travel. And where Atticus was going to be sleeping shirtless. Mo snuggled up against Atticus in her sleep with a big smile on her face. Darla hugged her pillow in her sleep.

Cherry had a little bit of trouble sleeping since it was a bit too warm for her tastes as she tossed and turned. Her dream-bending powers soon made the temperature around her colder. "Ah..." she then smiled as she buried herself under the covers and luckily, the temperature didn't affect anyone else so they would be freezing while sleeping.

Everyone slept so good that the next morning seemed to come faster than expected and where Mowgli was going to get a rude awakening. Cherry yawned as she woke up a bit earlier than expected. Since there was more room on her bed, she woke up with a yelp to see that Patch was sleeping on the foot of her bed as she wasn't used to having that happen.

* * *

"Uh, Patch?" Cherry asked.

Patch yawned and woke up before turning to her. "Oh, Cherry, I thought this was Darla's bed... I couldn't see you with your head under the covers."

"What're you doing on my bed?!" Cherry asked.

"Oh, I always sleep at the foot of the bed," Patch replied. "I would've slept on Atticus and Mo's bed, but it was too short for me to reach and not sit on their feet."

"Mind getting off then?" Cherry asked.

Patch smiled sheepishly and then moved.

"Now back to bed..." Cherry said, about to go back to sleep.

"It's morning!" Rajan ran into their room and jumped onto her stomach.

Cherry grunted and her eyes widened. "Seriously, Rajan?!" she groaned.

"It's morning, come on, let's go see Mowgli!" Rajan smiled up to her.

Cherry groaned and her head flopped back against her pillow. Rajan soon left her room and went to the next room. The others then suddenly groaned to see what was going on for today.

"What do you suppose Mowgli and Rajan have planned?" Patch asked Atticus as he woke up before blushing to see that Mo was snuggling into his chest.

"Uh... I dunno..." Atticus stammered.

Mo soon woke up to see she was snuggled up to Atticus's chest. Atticus and Mo blushed together.

Cherry shuddered slightly. "Well, if you guys don't mind, I guess we better meet Mowgli and Rajan."

"Ooooohhh..." Darla called out to her big brother. "I'm gonna tell Mom and Dad..."

"Uh, w-we don't need to tell them about this." Atticus smiled nervously.

"Please, Darla..." Mo added.

"Oh, okay..." Darla replied as they decided to see the boys. "So, um, Atticus, why weren't you wearing a shirt when sleeping with Mo?"

"It's hot..." Atticus told her. "I usually sleep without clothes on if I'm too warm."

"Ohh." Darla said.

Atticus and Mo blushed to each other as they were on the way into where Mowgli slept.

* * *

Rajan soon roared like a tiger and tackled the hammock, only to fall into Mowgli's blanket to see that he was not sleeping in his hammock. "Hmm..." He hummed in thought.

"Mowgli's not in his hammock..." Darla pouted.

"Found him." Patch said as he looking up.

"Where?" Rajan asked.

Patch pointed up to see Mowgli was sleeping on top of the loft above his hammock like sleeping in a tree in the jungle. Rajan then smirked as he used Mowgli's hammock like a slingshot and flung himself up toward the older boy which made them both fall onto the floor.

"Morning." Darla giggled.

"Come on, Mowgli, wake up, it's morning!" Rajan told the older boy. "You said we were going-"

"Rajan!" Mowgli hissed, covering his mouth. "Rajan, you wanna wake up the whole village?! When does the tiger roar?" he then asked rhetorically.

"I don't know." Rajan muffled while shaking his head.

"After he catches his prey." Mowgli smirked.

"What is he up to?" Mo whispered.

"His prey..." Rajan repeated with a smirk. "Let's go get _our_ prey!"

"Come on, guys, but be quiet." Mowgli told the others.

"Alright." Patch said.

* * *

Mowgli and Rajan snuck downstairs on all fours like Patch was since he was a dog. Messua was already awake and beginning to make breakfast, but she didn't notice anything suspicious yet. They were then close to the door, until...

"Boys?" Messua called. "Where are you going so early?"

"Uh, to do our chores?" Mowgli smiled nervously.

"Yeah!" Rajan added.

"Not without breakfast you aren't." Messau smiled back softly.

"Morning." Atticus yawned.

"Put your eyeballs back in your head..." Cherry teased.

"Okay, okay." Mo said.

"You'll never see me do that..." Cherry rolled her eyes as she put her hands in her jacket pocket.

"We better go after those two." Patch said.

"Stay safe." Messau told her guests.

They nodded and soon went off. Darla patted her dress down on the way to get the wrinkles out.

"Boys, where are you going?!" Messau's husband called out to Mowgli and Rajan as they seemed to be in a rush this morning.

"Doing our chores!" Mowgli called out.

"Bye, Pop, see ya later!" Rajan added.

"Remember, don't cross the river!" Messau's husband reminded.

Messau came by his side as he then sighed to the boys, though mostly toward Mowgli.

"You can take the boy out of the jungle." Messau's husband started to his wife.

"But you can't take the jungle out of the boy." Messau finished out of amusement.

"Yes...That's what worries me." Messau's husband frowned.

"Oh, Ritesh, they'll be fine..." Messau told her husband.

"Maybe you're right, Messau." Ritech sighed.

Messau smiled up to her husband and soon went inside with him to have some breakfast. "Come on, let's have some breakfast."

Ritesh nodded as he then joined his wife inside their hut.


	2. Chapter 2

Meanwhile, Shanti was on her way to the river to collect some water to bring back home. She soon heard something and looked out into the jungle. She then shook her head and collected some water.

"Hey, Shanti." Mowgli smiled as he hung upside down as she stood up.

This startled her as she jumped back slightly.

"What're you doing here?" Mowgli asked as he hopped down and balanced onto a stone pallet in the water while holding himself upside down.'

"Getting water?" Shanti replied like it was obvious. "What're you doing here?"

"Oh, I'm on the look-out for danger." Mowgli turned himself right side up and smirked as he searched into the jungle.

"Danger?" Shanti scoffed. "There's no danger around here."

"Uh..." Mowgli soon rushed after her before whispering. "Just keep this between us? Yesterday, I saw tiger tracks."

"Tiger tracks?" Shanti asked before rolling her eyes. "Right..."

 _'Is he actually going to scare her?'_ Mo thought to herself as she and the others had arrived at the water.

"Shere Khan..." Mowgli continued toward Shanti. "I hear he's around, seeking his bloodthirsty revenge. So, keep your ears open, and always watch your back, the last thing you'll ever hear is-"

Rajan soon came out of the bushes and roared like a tiger. Shanti soon screamed as she was scared. She was so scared that she fell back into the water with her pot. This made Mowgli and Rajan laugh and cheer at her misfortune.

"That was mean!" Darla glared.

Atticus, Mo, Cherry, and Darla all soon went to help Shanti out of the water while Patch went to teach Mowgli and Rajan a lesson as he barked at them. Mowgli and Rajan yelped as Patch had very loud barking for a rather small dog for his size.

"Are you okay, Shanti?" Mo asked the fallen girl.

"Yeah, I just got scared when Rajan came out roaring like a tiger." Shanti frowned as they helped her up.

"You guys, that wasn't funny!" Darla scolded Mowgli and Rajan.

"Darla's right!" Atticus added. "That wasn't funny at all!"

"You're horrible!" Shanti was just as angry since she was the victim. "You horrible, stinky boys!"

Patch had now scared both boys into a tree that was the center of the village.

"Good boy..." Atticus smiled down to Patch and pet him before giving him a biscuit as a reward.

"Thanks." Patch muffled as he carried the biscuit in his mouth before eating it right up.

"Patch is one amazing dog." Darla smiled.

"He sure is." Atticus agreed as he hugged his pet.

* * *

"Come on, Rajan," Shanti said firmly as she took the younger boy's hand and walked off with him away from Mowgli. "He's a bad influence."

"But Shanti, don't you get your fruit from this tree?" Mo asked.

"Before anything though... Rajan, don't move," Shanti said to the young boy before kneeling down to his height and licked her thumb to wash off the markings on his face to make like tiger whiskers. "That wasn't very nice, you know."

Rajan quietly roared in response to that.

"Stop that," Mo scolded him. "You're not a wild animal."

"Or a jungle boy." Shanti added as she then decided to collect fruit in her basket.

"Why are you so afraid of the jungle?" Rajan asked Shanti.

"Because it's dangerous." Shanti replied as she picked fruit from the tree.

"Dangerous? But Mowgli said-" Rajan started.

"You shouldn't listen to everything Mowgli says." Shanti cut him off firmly.

"I thought you liked Mowgli?" Cherry smirked.

Shanti seemed to blush from the way Cherry said that, but she tried to hide it. "Well, I _do_ , I like Mowgli," she then tried to explain. "But, I-Oh!"

Mowgli was there as if on cue with Shanti's water pot as he stood in between Rajan and the others.

"Oh, please continue." Cherry smirked.

Mowgli smiled as he held out Shanti's pot. "Uh, you left this by the river." he then told her.

Shanti sighed and face-palmed before swiping the water pot. "Thank you!"

"She's in a bad mood." Atticus whispered.

Rajan nodded in agreement.

"Can't really blame her." Mo commented about earlier.

"Hey, Rajan, you wanna see a little trick I learned in the jungle?" Mowgli smirked boastfully.

"Oh, brother, is he about to do what I think he's going to do?" Cherry groaned.

"What else would he do?" Patch shrugged to her.

"What?" Darla asked. "What's he gonna do?"

Mowgli bumped against a tree which sent down a banana and he squeezed it out of the peel right into Rajan's mouth.

"That." Cherry said.

"That's a very good trick!" Rajan beamed as he ate the banana.

"That was so cool!" Darla smiled to Mowgli.

"I bet Shanti has a better trick." Mo said.

"You bet." Shanti nodded.

"Oh, is that right?" Atticus asked.

"I learned it right here at home." Shanti nodded before spinning a fruit on her fingertip and tossed it in the air and the tree branch seemed to peel the skin off while in the air before landing back in her hand and she then gave it to Rajan.

"Wow!" Rajan beamed as he took the fruit before eating it. "That's a neater trick!"

"It sure is." Patch said.

"Like I said, Rajan," Shanti smirked toward Mowgli. "Don't listen to him."

"Right, Rajan, don't listen to me," Mowgli smirked back as he knelt down by the younger boy. "Listen to the jungle... Can ya hear it?"

'What is he up to now?' Mo thought to herself.

Rajan seemed to smirk with Mowgli which worried Darla. "Yeah... The jungle!"

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Darla asked.

"I do too and I don't think it's this heat." Cherry agreed.

"Should we go do something else?" Mo asked.

"You hear that rhythm?" Mowgli smirked to Rajan. "You get a crazy feeling inside."

"Mowgli, don't." Cherry warned.

"Please don't." Atticus begged.

"That morning sun peeks over the mountains, And all the rhinos rub their eyes, When they hear~" Mowgli began to sing to Rajan.

"Here we go." Mo sighed.

"Hear what?" Rajan asked.

"Hear the jungle rhythm~" Mowgli replied. "Those birds are tap-tap-tappin' the tree trunks, The busy bee hums as he flies, Loud and clear, To the jungle rhythm~"

'We might as well join in.' Mo thought to herself shrugged.

Cherry didn't like how this was going as she felt like Mowgli had something planned. Shanti eventually joined in with Mowgli and Rajan as well as the other village kids as they seemed excited about the jungle, though they were told to never go through there by their parents, but especially by Ritesh since he was the leader and all, and where everyone soon dressed up as animals. Cherry seemed to panic as the kids were getting closer to the jungle and went to tell the adults before anything dangerous could happen.

* * *

" **STOP!** " Atticus and Shanti shouted as they saw where Mowgli was leading them.

Cherry soon rushed over with Ritesh.

"Shanti, what is it?" Ritesh rushed over before he then saw what was happening which made Mowgli's eyes widen. "Children, come inside this instant!"

The village kids soon turned themselves around and came into the village fence.

"That was close." Mo sighed.

Mowgli seemed frozen on the spot.

"Mowgli, that includes you." Ritesh said firmly to his adoptive son.

Darla walked up to Cherry with a slight glare. "Did you tell on us?"

"I did what I could..." Cherry replied nervously.

"Besides, Shere Khan is still out there." Atticus said.

"Yeah, he has to be..." Cherry added as she hid behind Atticus to avoid Darla's glare which looked kind of scary up close.

"I thought you guys defeated him though?" Darla asked her big brother.

"Nope, he's still alive." Atticus said.

"Yeah, you heard your brother." Cherry added, folding her arms, trying to look brave.

"If you say so." Darla said.

"I am very disappointed in you," Ritesh firmly told Mowgli. "You put everyone in danger. You know you're not allowed to cross the river, yet you disobeyed me."

"But-" Mowgli tried.

"No, Mowgli," Ritesh stopped him. "The jungle is a dangerous place... I should know..." he then rolled up his sleeve to show scars from an injury he received from the jungle.

"Oh, my..." Mo gasped.

"You are confined to your room without dinner," Ritesh firmly told Mowgli while rolling his sleeve back up. "That should give you plenty of time to think about what you've done." he then stood up and went back home with the others.

 _'If only there was a way to show everyone the beauty of the jungle instead of the danger.'_ Darla thought to herself.

Mowgli glared to Shanti on his way back home.

"She was just trying to help." Patch said.

Mowgli simply glared in silence before he kept going.

* * *

"I wish there was a way that people could see the jungle as a good thing and not fearing it..." Darla said as she sat on the guest bed she slept in last night. She soon remembered about Mo's power. "Mo, you can help!" she then beamed.

"I can?" Mo asked as she sat next to Atticus on their bed.

"Yeah, use your power on the forces of nature to help everyone see the beauty of the jungle." Darla smiled.

"Oh, I don't know... I could try..." Mo smiled back.

"I think it would be good for everyone..." Darla encouraged her brother's girlfriend. "Plus, I think Mowgli seems homesick."

"Can't really blame him," Patch agreed. "He might be human like everyone else here, but he's always been more of a wild child with Baloo, Bagheera, and everyone else like the wolves who raised him."

"He has a point." Atticus said.

"Well... I suppose I could try something..." Mo replied. "We'd have to get closer to the jungle though without Ritesh and Messau knowing."

"Yeah, Cherry." Darla glared.

"I didn't do anything!" Cherry glared back.

"Then don't tell." Darla said.

"I didn't do anything..." Cherry replied.

"You kinda told Ritesh..." Atticus reminded her.

"You guys could've been killed!" Cherry retorted.

"There were no dangerous animals close by." Mo said.

"I know, but you were close in the jungle, so I did the right thing by asking for help." Cherry replied smugly.

"Just keep your mouth shut this time, okay?" Patch asked.

Cherry pouted and folded her arms.

* * *

They then snuck out of the fence as dinner was being made. Mo cracked her knuckles, but not as fierce as Atticus and took a deep breath as she began to use her nature powers in the jungle, and where plants and vines started to grow into the village. The others smiled as Mo helped with her special powers.

"This has to be my best idea yet." Darla smiled.

"Don't get go on an ego trip, Dimples." Cherry teased.

"I won't." Darla said.

"Oh, Mo, these trees are amazing..." Patch said. "I've never seen anything like them..."

"They look like Dr. Seuss trees." Cherry commented from how colorful the trees were.

"I wanted to be creative." Mo said.

"I know, I'm just saying..." Cherry shrugged. "Dr. Seuss decor if you ask me."

"I guess she has a point," Mo said as she felt the tree tops. "They are soft as silk and they smell like butterfly milk."

"You're rhyming." Darla said.

"Have you never read a Dr. Seuss book in your life?" Cherry deadpanned to Darla.

"I have." Darla said.

"Then you would know about the rhyming..." Cherry replied.

"My favorite's the Lorax." Mo smiled as she continued to beautify the jungle.

Patch turned his head as he thought he heard someone singing from afar. "What was that?" He asked.

"You hear something, boy?" Atticus asked.

"It sounded like singing..." Patch replied before going toward the direction which lured everyone to follow him.


	3. Chapter 3

They hid in the bushes and they saw a familiar bear was singing about the 'Bare Necessities'.

"Baloo?" Mo whispered.

Darla was nervous since this was a bear. There was a panther in the tree high above which was of course Bagheera.

"P-P-Panther..." Darla whispered.

"It's okay, Darla, I got you." Atticus comforted his little sister.

Baloo seemed to be making something that almost looked like Mowgli.

"Oh, he misses Mowgli..." Patch pouted to poor Baloo.

"Now, that's more like it!" Baloo chuckled to the dummy he made. "Look at you. Growing like the proverbial weed. Let's see if you still got it. Take it away, Little Britches."

"Is he crazy?" Darla asked the others about Baloo's behavior.

"I think he's just trying to keep himself from missing Mowgli." Mo whispered.

"Oh..." Darla whispered back.

"Poor fellow..." Bagheera whispered about Baloo who clearly missed the old times before Mowgli moved into the village.

The head of the dummy soon fell to the ground.

"Oh, this ain't gonna work..." Baloo sighed. "You just ain't Mowgli."

 _'He really misses Mowgli.'_ Darla thought to herself.

"I guess I got to get used to singing solo." Baloo sulked.

 _'I wish there was something we could do.'_ Patch thought to himself.

Baloo soon left which made Bagheera go after him as this was not a good sign.

"What is he doing?" Mo asked.

"I'm not sure, but we better go after them." Atticus suggested.

* * *

They were on the way, but Cherry stopped for a moment as she saw her shoelace was untied and grumbled as she tried to tie it back, despite too old for this, she didn't know how to tie her shoes. "Now, how did it go?" She asked herself. She hummed to herself as she stuck her tongue out.

A figure came right behind her and smashed the coconut under his paw.

"Well, that was rather uncalled f-" Cherry glared before she looked deathly pale once she saw who it was. "Uh, I-I think I have to run now."

The tiger snarled at her. Cherry soon ran for her life, forgetting about her shoelaces, and where she had a few trips, but she didn't stop.

* * *

"Wow, Cherry, you look pale," Atticus said before joking. "And you also look scared."

" **SHUT UP!** " Cherry snapped. "This is serious, I saw him!"

"What?!" Atticus asked. "Where?!"

"I saw him back there!" Cherry pointed backward.

"Who's him?" Darla asked.

"Who else?!" Cherry panicked. "Shere Khan!"

"Oh, dear..." Darla gulped.

"Oh, what's the worst that could happen?" Patch smiled nervously.

"He still remembers the five of us from last time." Cherry said.

"He might forget..." Patch replied. "I mean, it's not like he's an elephant."

"I doubt he forgot, Patch..." Cherry looked the most scared.

"We better go back to the village." Atticus said.

"Please, let's hurry before something happens to me." Cherry agreed.

"Aw, come on, Cherry, not a lot of stuff happens to you." Darla replied.

"Yeah?" Cherry deadpanned.

"Let's just get back to the village." Mo said.

They then made their way back to the village before anyone would get concerned or suspicious.

* * *

And where they were successful and they saw most of the kids enjoying the plants and trees. Mo smiled as she felt like she did a job well done. "Well, looks like everyone is enjoying the plants and trees." She smiled.

"You did a great job, Mo," Atticus smiled back to her. "The Lorax would be proud."

"If he was real." Cherry smirked.

"Who knows?" Darla shrugged.

"Cherry, we've met a lot of characters before," Atticus replied. "Don't you remember what you said when you found out my mother's family was mermaids?"

Cherry paused to think back to the adventure with Ariel the Little Mermaid.

"So... Now you know..." Atticus came to her side. "My cousin Ariel is a mermaid."

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" Cherry looked back.

"If I did, you would have thought I was crazy." Atticus said.

"Atticus, we were raised in an orphanage together, lived with Cinderella for a year and talking mice with fairy godmothers before we decided to track down our real parents, I found mine and you stayed with me, and we could both talk to animals, and we recently found out you have Wiccan blood from your Aunt Delilah, and we've been in a world with magical talking and singing ponies, I think I could've handled that one." Cherry reminded him.

"Oh, right." Atticus said before hitting himself.

Cherry then looked back to Atticus. "That was just luck."

"Whatever you say." Atticus shrugged.

* * *

They soon came inside to have dinner, but Mowgli would not be joining them since he was grounded. Patch soon snuck some food away for later.

"This is wonderful, Messau." Mo smiled.

"Thank you very much," Messau smiled back. "I do my best for my family and guests."

Atticus was doing the same thing that Patch was doing. Cherry helped them by giving them some food that she didn't like from the plate.

"Uh, I think me and Patch are gonna go upstairs now to, uh, enjoy the view." Atticus said as he hid his and Cherry's food behind him.

Cherry waved them off after she ate what she did like on her plate.

"See you boys later then." Ritesh said to them.

"So, Messau, how did you and Ritesh meet?" Darla asked curiously.

"When our parents told us when it was time to get married." Messau replied.

"Aw!" Darla smiled.

"You mean, you were arranged?" Mo asked.

"Oh, yes," Ritesh replied. "Since I'm the village leader like my father was before me, he insisted that I get married by the fairest girl in the land who is my Messau."

Atticus and Patch both soon went into Mowgli's room.

* * *

Mowgli was lying on his hammock dully as he was banned from dinner tonight.

"Mowgli?" Atticus gently called as he carried a plate. "We saved you some dinner."

"But I thought I was-" Mowgli started.

"Shh," Patch shushed him before whispering. "We decided to sneak you some food."

Mowgli smiled to them. "Thanks, guys."

"Bon appetite~" Atticus quietly chuckled.

Mowgli soon started to eat the food. Atticus and Patch smiled as they were able to help Mowgli, even though they were kind of breaking the house rules.

* * *

It was soon night time.

Darla shivered, not from Cherry's coldness, but she was afraid of meeting Shere Khan. "I can't sleep." The young girl frowned.

Atticus turned over. "Darla?"

"I can't sleep..." Darla told him. "I keep worrying that Shere Khan is gonna eat me in my sleep."

"Don't worry, if he tries to do that, he'll have to go through me." Atticus said.

"Can I sleep with you?" Darla asked.

"Sure, come on over." Atticus smiled to his little sister.

"Thanks." Darla smiled back.

Atticus scooted over with a smile back. Darla then climbed into the bed and lay down in between him and Mo. They soon got to sleep. Darla slept much easier as she had her big brother in bed with her.

* * *

Shere Khan seemed to come into the village as everyone was asleep. Patch soon sniffed two scents coming into the village. Mo seemed to have a similar feeling since she was kind of a dog in her own way due to living on the streets for so long. Patch woke up and decided to go check out the village while everyone was sleeping.

"There's no way an animal from the village would come into the village." The Dalmatian whispered.

"You okay, Patch?" Mo woke up.

"I feel like an animal is trying to come into the village." Patch replied.

"That's weird." Mo said.

Patch then decided to leave the hut to go exploring to see if his senses were correct.

* * *

Patch began to sniff out for any animals from the jungle and try to make sure that none of them either tried to kill Mowgli or take Mowgli back to the jungle. Shere Khan was strolling around the village as he passed the sleeping humans. Patch soon saw Shere Khan and gulped. Shere Khan checked every human until he would find Mowgli.

Patch soon ran off back to the hut. Darla slept much better since Atticus slept with her in a protective older brother sort of way. Patch soon ran into the room. Atticus giggled in his sleep.

Patch jumped onto Cherry's bed since she was easier to wake up. "Cherry, wake up!" he whispered loudly.

"Are you trying to seduce me, Raymond?" Cherry mumbled in her sleep.

"Cherry, Shere Khan is here in the village!" Patch whispered.

Cherry soon woke up and yawned. "Okay, here's what you do," She then said. "Just put the hay in the apple and eat the candle, mm?"

"Wake up, this is serious!" Patch told her. "Shere Khan really is here in the village!"

Cherry rubbed her eyes and took her glass of water to wake up more. "Shere Khan, are you sure?" she soon asked.

"Yes, I saw him." Patch whispered.

"Oh, no..." Cherry moaned.

"Oh, yes." Patch nodded.

"We have to warn the others then." Cherry said.

Patch nodded, he then came up to Atticus's bed and licked his face to wake him up, and where he was successful in waking him up.

Atticus laughed and soon woke up, then frowned once he saw how serious and scared his dog seemed. "Patch, what's up?" he then asked out of concern.

"Shere Khan is in the village." Patch told him.

This caused Atticus to go wide-eyed. Patch nodded.

"Anything else?" Atticus asked.

"I didn't see who or what it was, but someone else is in the village, but he doesn't seem that dangerous." Patch replied.

"It must be Baloo." Atticus said. This caused them to go wide-eyed again since Shanti thought that all animals were dangerous and she would possibly scream.

"We better get moving." Atticus and Patch said at the same time.

* * *

Mowgli was soon already on his way out as he sat by the window after eating his dinner as he thought he saw something out there in the middle of the night, and where he was soon grabbed from behind. "Wah!" he yelped at the sudden grabbing in panic. His mouth was soon covered by a familiar paw. "Mmf?!"

Cherry was nervous about going into the village to find Shere Khan while Darla stayed with her while Mo went with Atticus and Patch. And where they did find Baloo. "Hey, mind if I drop in?"

"Baloo?" Mowgli, Atticus, Patch, and Mo asked.

"Shh!" Baloo covered their mouths with his paw.

"What are you doing here?" Mo whispered.

"What am I doing here?" Baloo replied as they went to a private spot to talk before throwing Mowgli up in the air and catching him. "I'm feeling all right for the first time in a while, that's what! Hey, kid," he then smirked to the feral boy as he set him on the ground. "Show me you can still fight like a bear!"

"Show him, Mowgli." Atticus said.

Mowgli soon smirked and punched Baloo against his stomach.

"Oh, Little Britches, you lost your touch." Baloo chuckled.

"Let's just hope that Shanti doesn't come over." Mo whispered.

"I think we might be too late about that." Patch whispered back as he saw the Indian girl with a bowl of fruit in her arms.

"We have to keep her from seeing Baloo." Mo whispered back.

* * *

"Mowgli, I've got something for you." Shanti whispered loudly as she had food for the boy since he was grounded without dinner, not knowing he had already eaten thanks to the help of Atticus, Patch, and Cherry.

Cherry came to the window and looked down. "Oh, hi, Shanti."

"Hi, Cherry," Shanti whispered. "Is Mowgli up?"

"Uh, well..." Cherry paused for a moment, not sure what to tell her. She then saw Shere Khan coming which made her cup her mouth with a horrified gasp.

"What is it, Cherry?" Shanti asked.

"Erm... Nothing... Um, you wanna come inside?" Cherry asked nervously.

"Um, okay?" Shanti said, slightly confused.

Cherry chuckled sheepishly as she tried to hide her fear, but it was no use. Shanti was about to go into the hut. Cherry gestured for her to hurry as she saw Shere Khan coming closer and closer.

"I do wonder where the Man Cub is?" Shere Khan muttered to himself as he stared up at the window.

 _'Come on, Shanti, hurry up.'_ Cherry thought to herself.

Mowgli was suddenly heard yelling and he was tossed up in the air on the other side of the hut.

"Mowgli?" Shanti looked around curiously.

"No, Shanti, wait!" Cherry whispered loudly.

Shanti came to take a closer look.

"Shanti!" Cherry yelped until she leaned too far and soon fell out of the window on the ground. "Ow..."

Shanti soon saw Mowgli, Atticus, Patch, and Mo with Baloo. Cherry was about to get up, but soon stayed on the ground, trying to play dead as Shere Khan was sneaking over. They soon heard Shanti scream.

* * *

"Wild animals? Where?" Baloo looked around before running off and dragging Mowgli. "Let's get out of here, come on!"

"Baloo! Stop!" Atticus glared as he chased after him.

"What's that bear doing here?" Shere Khan sneered as he came after the others.

Cherry grabbed onto his tail to keep him from moving, but since she wasn't strong like Atticus, it was just dragging her across the ground. Darla knew that she just had to come along as she ran.

"Why wasn't I as strong as Atticus?" Cherry groaned as she was dragged against her will.

Darla took a deep breath and mustered all of her courage on the way. Everyone in the village all woke up from the ruckus.

"There's a wild animal in the village!" Shanti called out to everyone.

"Don't worry!" Mo told her. "Baloo is friendly!"

The villagers soon saw Shere Khan and began to chase him out of the village with torches.

Cherry coughed and soon let go as she sat up and dusted herself clean. "Whew." She sighed.

Darla soon ran over and accidentally bumped into her.

"Dimples, I thought you were asleep." Cherry turned over.

"I decided to come with." Darla said.

"It could be dangerous, you're only six!" Cherry replied.

"No, I'm not." Darla said.

"Really?" Cherry asked as she didn't know how old Darla really was. "Anyway, you're just a little kid!"

"I'm coming." Darla said.

"You're only five!" Cherry said.

Darla folded her arms. "You don't know how old I am."

Cherry smiled sheepishly. "You're coming, aren't you?" She then asked.

"Yes," Darla replied bravely. "Atticus is my big brother, I can handle anything... Even a big, bad, scary tiger..." she then winced slightly out of fear of Shere Khan, but then stood brave and tall again.

"If anything happens to you, Atticus will kill me!" Cherry replied.

"I think he'll busy with strangling Baloo." Darla said.

"Exactly!" Cherry replied.

Darla gripped her by her collar in a slightly threatening manner. "Don't you remember who I used to be, Cherry?" she then asked as she gritted her baby teeth. "I may be a changed girl ever since I got a family and I might be scared of lions, and tigers, and bears, but you're not gonna stop me from helping!"

"Okay, okay." Cherry said.

Darla soon let go and smirked. "Glad you saw it my way."

"Sheesh, who knew a seven year old girl could be so scary?" Cherry asked.

"I can be scary sometimes." Darla said.

Cherry soon straightened herself out and moved out with Darla.

"Where are you going?" Shanti asked the villagers. "Come back! Come back! You're going the wrong way!"

"They're going after Shere Khan." Cherry told her.

"Whoa, a tiger!" Rajan cheered before he then roared in delight.

"But a bear's got Mowgli!" Shanti told Cherry.

"I know." Cherry said.

"Aren't you worried about him?!" Shanti yelped.

"No, but you are." Cherry teased.

Shanti soon blushed before running after Mowgli.

"Shanti, wait, it's okay!" Cherry called out before groaning. "And... I'm just ignored... Can my life get any worse?" she then asked before she saw Darla following Shanti. "Dimples!" Cherry yelped and ran after Darla and Shanti.

Rajan soon came outside and decided to also follow after them.


	4. Chapter 4

"Baloo, stop right there!" Mo glared.

Baloo soon turned over and accidentally dropped Mowgli. "There's wild animals in here!" he then told her.

"YES! _YOU_!" Mo replied.

"You can't just kidnap Mowgli like that!" Patch barked.

"I didn't kidnap him!" Baloo frowned. "You guys know he's my little buddy."

"Yes, but he lives in the village now with his adoptive family." Atticus said.

"But, I-" Baloo pouted.

"Bring him back to the village now before everybody gets a heart attack about him!" Mo said like a firm mother.

"Besides, it's where he belongs." Patch added.

"I think Baloo's right, guys," Mowgli replied. "I don't fit in in the village like I did in the jungle."

Atticus and Patch both soon came up with an idea. Mo looked to them and then back at Baloo and Mowgli.

"Is it always like that?" Baloo asked.

"You don't know the half of it." Mowgli replied.

"Okay, Mowgli, how's about we make a deal?" Atticus asked.

Mo glanced at him slightly.

"What kind of a deal?" Mowgli asked Atticus.

"If by some chance, you start missing the village, including Shanti, then you come back to the village with us." Atticus said.

"But if you don't miss the village or Shanti, then you can stay here in the jungle." Patch added.

"Deal?" Atticus and Patch both asked Mowgli.

"She got you into trouble for that?" Baloo asked Mowgli. "Man, if that's what the village is like, I can't imagine the city where you others came from could be like."

"Well, it's just safe to follow the rules and laws." Atticus said.

"As long as they aren't crazy." Mo mumbled since her grandmother had strict rules which made her run away from home with Angel in the first place.

"Shanti thinks the jungle is a scary place." Mowgli scoffed.

"And where she's right about some of the jungle." Atticus said.

A certain snake smirked once he saw Mowgli and the others from a tall tree.

"Such as Kaa since he nearly ate you and one of us the last time we were here." Mo said.

Patch shook chills all around his body. "I never did like Kaa."

"I wonder where that snake is right now?" Atticus wondered.

"Not sure if I wanna know," Mo grunted. "I hate snakes."

"Then you might not like who I brought with me." Patch smiled nervously as his pet snake came out.

Mo let out a screech until Atticus covered her mouth.

"You still have that thing?!" Atticus asked. "Man, I thought I had bed bugs the last time we slept in my room."

"Nope, this little guy's my pet, don't you remember?" Patch asked.

"You could've told me that before we went to bed," Atticus laughed. "He slithered in my sheets."

"Bad snake!" Patch looked up with a glare to his pet he earned from his spy quest with Atticus, Tom, Jerry, and Robyn.

The cobra snake looked rather sad and apologetic.

"Aw, I can't stay mad at you..." Patch smiled.

"What'd you name him anyway?" Mo asked.

"I think I'll name him Cobra." Patch said.

"That's a perfect name," Atticus smiled. "Just remember to keep him away from Mom, she hates snakes."

"I'll be sure he knows." Patch said.

"It's you and me now, kid," Baloo told Mowgli. "Forget that girl, you're better off without her, you've got everything you need right here."

 _'This will be a bit of a challenge.'_ Mo thought to herself.

* * *

Soon enough, Mowgli and Baloo shared the Bare Necessities together for the first time which felt like years and years ago. Atticus, Mo, Patch, and Cobra soon saw Kaa and decided to join in. Kaa kept trying to bite at Mowgli, but kept missing.

Cobra bit Kaa as he didn't like him. Kaa whimpered and whined before glaring at Cobra. Cobra just glared right back and hissed menacingly. Kaa soon heard quiet growling. Mo, Atticus, and Patch made sure that Kaa wouldn't come anywhere near them as Mowgli and Baloo reunited, and where this made Kaa nervous.

"See ya, Kaa~" Patch smirked as Cobra slithered back onto his head.

Cobra even hissed out of teasing.

"Good boy." Patch chuckled to his snake.

Cobra smiled back at him.

* * *

Darla kept following after Shanti which made Cherry follow her as she was worried of any danger the young girl would get into.

"Shanti, slow down." Darla panted.

Shanti looked back to her. "You should be back in the village, it's not safe for little girls." She then told the girl.

"I don't care, I'm doing this, whatever it takes." Darla replied sharply.

"Alright, but stay close." Shanti said.

"I will." Darla promised.

Cherry sighed as she followed closer toward Shanti and Darla.

"Mowgli?" Shanti asked as she thought she saw a shadow in the distance before coming closer toward it. "Is that you?"

"I hope so." Darla gulped.

However, it was not Mowgli, it was a hooting owl.

"He's gotta be here somewhere along with the others." Darla whimpered nervously.

"We should keep looking." Shanti said before she got her skirt caught at first and panicked, but soon relaxed as she held her lit torch to keep an eye out for anything or anybody.

Darla checked the bushes, but yelped and fell backwards as a bird squawked and flew out of the bushes. "Whew!" she sighed out of relief. "It's just a bird."

"Cool bats." Cherry smirked.

The bats woke up and squeaked after flying away since Shanti had scared them awake.

"Again," Cherry said. "Cool bats."

Shanti and Darla screamed however and ran away from the bats.

"Guys, come back!" Cherry called out to them.

Kaa was seen trying to get some prickly things off him. Shanti and Darla kept running before they had to stop and catch their breaths.

"Oh, where could they be?" Shanti frowned before raising the torch, accidentally touching Kaa with the flames since he was above right where they were.

Kaa soon smelled something cooking, not knowing that it was him. Shanti and Darla soon kept going on with the torch to find Mowgli and the others. Cherry rushed over, accidentally tangling against Kaa's coils. Kaa began to find this annoying.

"Kaa!" Cherry yelped.

"Well, hello there..." Kaa smirked and wrapped around her body.

"Someone please help!" Cherry yelped.

Kaa chuckled and was about to trick her.

Cherry soon grabbed him and flopped him around in defense on the ground over and over. "Get away from me, get away!"

"Ow!" Kaa yelped.

"Get it away from me!" Cherry then ran blindly after tormenting Kaa.

"I'll get her for that." Kaa said before seeing Darla and Shanti.

Shanti and Darla yelped as they heard a hissing sound.

"W-Who's there?" Darla gulped.

"Excuuuuse me..." Kaa smirked as he came in front of the girls and began to hypnotize them.

"Y-Y-You're Kaa." Darla gulped.

"What a smart delicious little morsel you are." Kaa smirked to Darla.

Darla began to get nervous about this. Kaa smirked as he soon hypnotized the girls so he could eat them. Shanti dropped her torch on the ground and the flames quickly died out.

"Oh, dear..." Darla gulped.

Shanti was instantly entranced as she looked into the snake's eyes. Darla kept her eyes closed from looking into Kaa's eyes. Shanti was not exempt though as she had looked right into his eyes. Cherry soon came behind Darla with sunglasses and came to take her away from Kaa, and where Rajan was going to do the same thing besides the sunglasses.

"You okay, Dimples?" Cherry asked.

"Oh, Cherry, I'm so glad to see you!" Darla hugged the older girl.

"I'll take that as a yes." Cherry said.

"You're just glad I'm okay so Atticus doesn't hurt you." Darla pouted.

"No, no, no, I do care about you," Cherry replied. "Though... That kinda is true, but you're my friend's sister, so we're family in our own way."

"Aw!" Darla smiled before giggling as Kaa missed Shanti and got his mouth stuck on the rock.

Cherry looked over and even cupped her mouth with a snicker.

"You're not getting away that easy!" Rajan smirked to Kaa.

"I think he's been punished enough." Cherry snickered.

"Rajan, what are you doing?" Shanti asked the young boy. "You're not supposed to be here! We have to get you home right now."

"No!" Rajan glared. "Mowgli's in trouble and we're gonna find him!" he then plopped himself on the ground and sniffed around like a true jungle predator.

"What are you doing?" Darla asked.

"I can smell him," Rajan replied before he continued to sniff out for Mowgli and came over a log. "He's this way!"

"How can you tell?" Cherry asked.

"I know 'cuz I'm a wild boy just like him." Rajan smirked.

"You are a village boy with dreams, but I'll take your word for it since it's the best we got without Patch." Cherry replied as Darla nodded.

Shanti just hoped they wouldn't run into any other animals on the way.

"I hope the others are alright." Darla said.

"I just know that they're doing better than Kaa." Cherry replied as she took Darla's hand since Shanti took Rajan's hand.

"Yeah," Darla giggled. "He now has a rock in his stomach."

Cherry chuckled quietly to that.

* * *

 ** _Meanwhile with Atticus and the others..._**

Atticus yawned as he was feeling tired. "Come on, Mowgli, let's go back to the village."

"No way, we have a deal." Mowgli reminded him.

"Alright, then where can we sleep?" Atticus yawned.

"Come with me." Baloo led them to where he used to sleep and have Mowgli over when they first met after he outgrew the wolf pack.

"Alright." Mo said.

Patch yawned and stretched as he followed the others to get some sleep and Cobra was lying down in his head. They soon got tp the spot.

Patch spun in circles a few times before lying down. "Oh, this is actually pretty comfortable." he then smiled once he got comfortable.

Cobra nodded in agreement with a tired smile. Mo lay down next to Atticus, tilting her bandanna over her eyes and snuggled with him in her sleep. Atticus soon held Mo with his right arm. Mo blushed as she soon got to sleep. Atticus soon fell asleep. It was a good and peaceful night for them, but it wasn't so much for the village since Mowgli and the others had gone missing.


	5. Chapter 5

Almost all of the villagers were now looking for the ones who had gone missing.

Ritesh of course took the lead since he was the leader and his young son was lost, though he was also concerned about Mowgli since he was his new son of course. "Perhaps I was too harsh with the boy..." he then sighed about Mowgli being gone like this.

"Don't worry, we'll find them." Messau reassured her husband.

Ritesh smiled back to her before calling out. " **MOWGLI!** "

" **RAJAN!** " Messau added.

The couple continued to call out for their sons, not knowing where they could possibly be now. Bagheera seemed to over hear this and had an idea of where one of the boys would be.

* * *

Mowgli was soon being hopped into the air to grab one of the fruits in a high tree.

"This is a little dangerous." Atticus said.

"I almost got it, Baloo!" Mowgli told the bear he was helping.

Baloo caught Mowgli and kept throwing him into the air to catch fruit for them. Mowgli soon caught the fruit and had armfuls of mangoes for him and Baloo.

"Whoa." Mo said.

Baloo and Mowgli soon laughed and sat down together.

"This is the life." Mowgli smiled as he missed living in the jungle.

"You sure have missed living in the jungle, haven't you?" Patch asked.

"You have no idea," Mowgli nodded. "It's the best home I've ever known."

"I'm sure it is, but you should go back to your village with other people," Patch replied. "I mean... You should live with other people, right...?"

"Remember our deal?" Mowgli smirked.

Patch groaned as he soon gave up and stopped himself right there. Mowgli soon took one mango and showed Baloo a trick that Shanti taught him back in the village.

"Hey, not bad, where'd you learn to do that?" Baloo chuckled as he ate the mango.

"I learned it from Shanti." Mowgli said.

"Shanti?" Baloo repeated before dropping the fruit.

"No, I-I said 'wanti'," Mowgli smiled nervously. "I wanti another mango!"

"No, no, no," Mo smirked. "You said 'Shanti'."

"No, I didn't." Mowgli denied.

"Yeah, you did." Baloo smirked.

"You did so." Patch added.

"You know what, who cares about Shanti?" Mowgli shook his head. "'Cuz it's just a stupid trick, right?"

"Yeah, right, you don't need her, kid," Baloo chuckled. "You're with old Baloo now."

 _'This may take a little longer than I thought.'_ Patch thought to himself.

Baloo soon tried to do the trick that Mowgli showed him, it didn't work exactly the same, but it still did the same trick only for the mango to splat onto his nose. This made the others laugh at him.

"What are you laughing at?" Baloo glared slightly before gasping behind them as he saw a certain panther and hid Mowgli behind his back. "What're you doing out here, Baggy?"

"Bagheera?!" Atticus gasped.

"Haven't you heard?" Bagheera asked Baloo. "Man is in the jungle."

"Well, w-what do they want?" Baloo replied, trying to hide Mowgli.

"They're searching for Mowgli." Bagheera glared as he knew that Baloo had something to do with this.

"Just Mowgli?" Patch asked.

"You..." Baghera said to him. "Your friends..."

"Heh... Haven't seen anyone..." Patch lied nervously, scratching his ear with his back hind leg which was sometimes a sign that he was lying.

"Really now?" Bagheera hid a small smirk. "Are you sure?"

"Bagheera, Patch never lies." Atticus said.

Patch smiled nervously with a nod.

"So, I see... Now, Baloo, what about you?" Bagheera asked the big bear.

"Oh, uh, know, you'd know if that creature was in the forest." Baloo told the panther.

"I mean how could Mowgli be here?" Mo asked.

"Sorry, we wish we could help you." Patch added.

"Oh, enough games, you guys, now give me the boy!" Baghera glared before pouncing behind Baloo's back only to see that Mowgli was not there somehow.

"Um, you see, he's not here." Mo said.

"I know he's around here somewhere, and he can't hide forever." Bagheera replied before leaving.

"Oh, you'll find him." Atticus said.

Bagheera firmly hummed before going off.

"Phew!" Baloo breathed in relief before looking for Mowgli who seemed to had disappeared. "Kid, where'd you go?"

"Mowgli?" Patch looked around.

Atticus and Mo soon looked around before laughing as Mowgli came out of the tree and landed on Baloo.

"Wow," Patch smiled. "Good one."

"Yeah, good one." Atticus agreed.

"What do you think you're gonna do, scare the tick out of my ticker?!" Baloo scolded Mowgli slightly.

"Wow... The whole village... Looking for us?" Mowgli said softly after a laugh.

"Yep," Mo said. "They must be really worried."

"Kinda makes ya feel homesick." Atticus added.

And where they were right as Mowgli looked out. "I thought they were mad..." The former feral boy said as he walked off slightly.

"We gotta lay low..." Baloo said before going off to prepare himself.

"They must... Really miss me..." Mowgli said as he looked out of the jungle. "I wonder if Shanti's with them?"

"Maybe." Patch said.

"Shanti?" Baloo repeated before dropping his fruit. "You definitely don't want her to find ya!"

Mowgli looked at him before looking back out softly.

"Do ya...?" Baloo asked the boy.

"No," Mowgli finally answered firmly. "We can't let anyone find us. Especially that girl. Come on, guys, we gotta get moving!"

'So close.' Patch thought to himself.

"Now, Mowgli, what if that girl tracks us done?" Baloo smirked. "What're you gonna do?"

"Then... You're gonna have to scare her!" Mowgli told him.

"I think that might be easy." Mo said.

"Me? Scare her?" Baloo replied. "Has milk run out your coconuts?"

"Aw, come on, Baloo, you're a bear, it'll be easy." Mo insisted.

"They're right." Atticus replied.

"Baloo, she's terrified of wild animals!" Mowgli told the bear.

"In case you haven't noticed, guys, I'm no wild animal," Baloo defended. "Uh, except at parties."

"Seriously?" Patch asked.

"You can do it, Baloo, you're the one who taught me," Mowgli reminded with a smile. "Remember? You scrunch up your eyes like this... And show your teeth like this! And roar like this!" He then gave a practice roar as he remembered the good old days when he had first met his 'Papa Bear'.

"Roar?" Baloo tried out, though it was not effective.

"Really?" Mo asked.

"You couldn't scare kittens with that," Patch replied. "Do it like you mean it, like someone just took your bone away!"

"Or that someone is about to take Mowgli away forever." Atticus helped since Baloo would be able to understand more with that situation.

Baloo soon took a deep breath and roared louder in their faces about Mowgli being taken away back to the village.

"That's more like it." Mo said.

"Yeah, man!" Mowgli smiled. "That was great!"

"Well, I don't know..." Baloo smiled back.

"Now, where is this place we could hide out at?" Patch asked.

"Well, I know this place down river." Baloo offered.

"Nice." Atticus said.

Baloo soon led them there with Mowgli on his back with their food.

* * *

 ** _Meanwhile with the others..._**

"Okay, here's the village, we cross the river-" Shanti began as she made a map in the ground only to be ruined by Ranjan.

"Ranjan!" Darla complained.

"Rajan, be careful!" Shanti warned the younger boy.

"Okay, I think we went right..." Darla told Shanti.

"No, no, it was left... I mean... Right...?" Shanti replied.

"Oh, great," Cherry groaned. "We're lost."

"Oh, this jungle all looks the same!" Shanti complained.

Rajan laughed as he played in the mango pile while the girls looked frustrated.

"If only Patch was here." Cherry said.

"Rajan..." Shanti came to the younger boy before seeing a curled mango peel. "What's that?"

"Looks like a mango peel." Cherry deadpanned.

"Mowgli must have been here." Darla said.

"Or... Some animal with really sharp claws..." Shanti trembled slightly.

"Hmm... He must have taught Baloo your trick." Darla suggested.

"Do you think so?" Shanti replied.

"It has to be." Darla nodded.

"So, then that bear isn't dangerous?" Shanti asked.

"I might not know Baloo well, but he's friendly..." Darla replied. "Right, Cherry?"

"Maybe not Berenstain Bear friendly, but still quite nice..." Cherry shrugged innocently.

"Yeah," Darla smiled. "Like Casper's Kung Fu Panda comics."

"Comics?" Shanti asked out of confusion. "Kung Fu Panda?"

"Village girls..." Cherry and Darla sighed.

"I just hope Mowgli is okay, you guys." Shanti told them.

"I'm sure he's fine." Darla said.

"I really hope so." Shanti replied.

"You like him~" Cherry smirked.

"What?!" Shanti asked. "I'm just worried about him, he's my friend!"

"Yeah, 'cuz you like him~" Cherry still smirked.

"What?!" Shanti blushed. "N-No!"

Darla soon smirked herself as she knew how Cherry was thinking.

Cherry chuckled until she looked over and shushed the girls. "Shh... I hear something..."

Darla and Shanti suddenly looked nervous. Cherry looked up and explored as she saw vultures flying off somewhere and she peeked behind bushes before gasping as she saw a certain tiger at a pool of water.

* * *

"Girls, we have to go and find Mowgli, Atticus, Mo, Patch, and Baloo now." Cherry whispered to them.

"What?" Darla asked.

" **MOVE!** " Cherry whispered loudly before rushing with them.

The girls looked worried and soon rushed with Cherry.


	6. Chapter 6

**_Later..._**

"This is the perfect hideout?" Mowgli asked as Baloo took them to a certain place which was quite familiar. "This is King Louie's place!"

"Yeah, why are we here?" Patch added.

"It was King Louie's place, guys, was," Baloo told them. "He's Splitsville. Now me and the monkeys have turned it into the greatest secret hide-out ever."'

"Hey, Baloo, good to see you back again, man!" A monkey laughed as he went with another one while passing them.

"Wow." Mo said.

"Well, everybody knows about it." Baloo smiled sheepishly while Patch, Mo, and Atticus glared at him slightly about this place being 'secret'.

"But if everybody knows about it, how can it be a secret?" Atticus asked.

"I mean, everybody who's anybody," Baloo shrugged innocently. "Nobody who's nobody don't know nothin' about no place... That everybody who's anybody knows about, you dig?"

"Oy," Patch groaned. "Our brains hurt."

"It hurts worse than trig back in school." Mo added.

"Hey, turn the thinker off for a minute and just dive in," Baloo told them. "Step aside, and I'll show you what a real rug-cutter can do."

"Okay." Atticus said.

Many other animals gathered around as they sat down and were about to be entertained.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the Boss of Bop, the Jack of Jive the Jungle Cat who's really gonna keep it alive," A monkey announced. "Get ready to stir it up and serve it up. I'm talkin' about... Baloo is in the house!"

"Wow." Atticus said.

There soon seemed to be a party in the jungle.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Patch nervously said to Atticus and Mo.

"I have the same feeling." Mo agreed.

Baloo and Mowgli soon began to have some fun together with the animals of the jungle.

"Oh, yeah, no one will ever find us here." Mo deadpanned as it got louder and louder.

* * *

Soon enough, the fun ended.

"That's my boy," The lead monkey chuckled to Mowgli. "They don't swing out like that in your man-village, now do they, kid, hmm?"

"Well... No..." Mowgli admitted.

"But, uh, we do have fun there." Patch said.

"Say, what that village like anyway?" The monkey asked as he scratched his ears.

"Eh, whoa, don't bother the kid, he told me all about that scene," Baloo replied before sitting in the throne. "Lemme lay it out for ya. Those people are crazy. Everybody works and nobody plays."

 _'That bad feeling just got worse.'_ Patch thought to himself.

The monkeys looked horrified about how humans lived in the village as Baloo told them, especially about Shanti.

"You know, it doesn't matter, 'cuz Mowgli's never gonna see that village or that crazy girl again." Baloo laughed to the other jungle animals.

Mowgli, Atticus, Mo, and Patch soon left the party. Baloo soon called out for them.

"Where are we going?" Atticus asked Mowgli.

"I just need some time to think." Mowgli said.

"You wanna be alone?" Atticus offered.

Mowgli nodded before going up a tree. The others looked to him and decided to give him some privacy. Mowgli began to have second thoughts on the village.

"I'm worried about him." Mo told Atticus.

"I think he's starting to have second thoughts on the village." Atticus said.

Patch nodded in agreement.

"I wonder what happened to his birth parents?" Mo pondered. "Ever since I was little, I just tend to wonder, like before I found out more about my own."

"I wondered about his parents too." Atticus said.

Patch had to admit he also did.

"I wonder if Drell knows?" Atticus suggested. "He seems to know everything about everybody."

"We'll have to ask him." Mo said.

"If it isn't too sad..." Patch replied.

* * *

Shanti and the others continued to explore the jungle to find the others.

"Did we find Mowgli and the others yet?" Ranjan asked while yawning.

"Not yet." Darla said.

"Oh, are you tired?" Shanti cooed to the young boy.

"A little..." Ranjan yawned while rubbing his eye.

"I'm sure we'll find them soon." Shanti soothed.

"Keep your head up." Cherry advised.

Ranjan smiled tiredly to the girls.

"Come on," Shanti told him as she knelt down slightly. "Hop on."

Ranjan then climbed onto her back since he was too tired to walk anymore, and they soon continued to walk on.

"Atticus, I don't know where you and the others are, but when I find you, I'm going to kill you." Cherry muttered before slapping her own cheek since a mosquito landed on her face.

They soon heard soft singing.

"Who is that?" Darla wondered.

"I dunno, but we should follow it." Cherry suggested.

"It sounded like Mowgli." Shanti replied.

Hearing that caused Ranjan to wake up. He even got off of Shanti's back and ran off to find the older boy.

"Rajan, wait!" Shanti tried to stop him, but her hand slipped away from his hand as he ran away to find his adoptive big brother.

"Someone's gotta put a leash on that kid." Cherry scoffed.

"I agree." Darla said.

* * *

Shanti checked behind the bushes before she saw someone else familiar. " **MOWGLI!** "

"Shanti?!" Mowgli looked over before falling backward and got caught in the vines.

"Mowgli, you okay?!" Mo's voice asked.

"Oh, I feel fine..." Mowgli smiled nervously.

"What're you doing up there?" Ranjan asked the former feral boy.

Cherry took out a knife and soon jumped up in the air and sliced the air before hopping back down on the ground and Mowgli was soon free from the vines as he and Shanti both seemed rather happy to see each other again.

 _'This might now get easier.'_ Patch thought to himself.

"So what're you doing out here anyway?" Mowgli asked the others.

"We came to save you." Shanti replied.

"Save me?" Mowgli asked. "From what?"

"Baloo." Darla said.

Baloo soon snarled and came to scare Shanti away. Rajan screamed and hid behind Shanti, feeling scared of Baloo right now.

"Baloo, stop!" Patch told him.

Baloo snarled before he soon tripped against the vines while Shanti yelped and punched his nose.

"Aw, my poor sneezer," Baloo pouted. "Well, that hurt!"

"Y-You come any closer Rajan, and I'll show you hurt!" Shanti warned Baloo, trying to be brave.

"Nice punch." Cherry said.

Mowgli soon came between Baloo and Shanti to break them up.

"But he's attacking us!" Shanti told Mowgli.

"Attacking?!" Baloo glared. "I'm the one who got attacked in the schnozzle!"

"That's because you scared her!" Darla told him.

"But you-" Baloo replied before shaking his head with a slight headache. "Mowgli told me to 'scarify' her!"

"What?!" Shanti gasped.

"No, no, no, I-" Mowgli stammered nervously.

"You told Baloo to scare Shanti?" Darla frowned.

"Mowgli, you planned this?" Shanti added.

"Well, I, um-" Mowgli stammered.

"Come on, guys." Shanti scoffed before picking up Rajan in her arms.

"See you three back at the village." Cherry told Atticus, Mo, and Patch.

Darla took Cherry's hand and waved to Atticus.

"Be good." Atticus told Darla.

"I will." Darla promised.

* * *

After Darla, Cherry, Shanti, and Ranjan left, Baloo got out of the vines.

"Aw, man, you weren't kidding about her," Baloo said to Mowgli about Shanti. "She's bad news."

"No, she's not!" Mowgli glared. "She was just trying to help and you scared her!"

"First, you tell me to scare her then you tell me not to scare her," Baloo replied as he looked confused. "Kid, I only got so much room up in this noggin and it's fillin' up fast!"

"Mowgli, I think it's time we take you back to the village." Atticus said.

"I think you might be right." Mowgli agreed with a sigh.

"Come on," Patch said. "Let's go catch up with them."

Everyone then split up into the two groups.

"Shanti? Shanti!" Mowgli called out only to get his echo. "Where are you?! Come on!"

"All right, the village should be right through here," Cherry told the others before moving bushes and saw a snarling predator before covering the bushes again with wide eyes and a pale face to the others. "Of course, I could be wrong."

Mowgli, Atticus, Patch, and Mo soon arrived at the scene.

"There you are!" Mowgli said to Shanti. "I'm so sorry."

Shanti whimpered nervously.

"Will you let me explain?" Mowgli frowned.

Shanti shook her head nervously.

"At least talk to me." Mowgli frowned to her.

"W-We have company." Cherry shivered.

Shanti then pointed to what Cherry was talking about. Mowgli soon saw and gasped in shock.

"You seem surprised to see me, Man Cub," Shere Khan smirked to the feral boy as he emerged from the shadows. "I can't imagine why... I wasn't going to let you get away with what you did to me."

Patch began to growl at the tiger.

"I wasn't going to let you all get away with what you did to me," Shere Khan circled the group. "You see. You humiliated me, Man-Cub, and those friends of yours also did. Surely you do realize I simply can't let any of you live."

Shanti gasped in fear about that.

"Mo, take Shanti, Darla, and Ranjan to the village." Atticus told his girlfriend.

Mo nodded as she carefully came to the others to do just that.

"Atticus?" Darla pouted to her big brother.

"Everything's going to be okay." Atticus assured his little sister.

Darla frowned before she soon left with Mo, Shanti, and Ranjan. Mowgli soon kicked dirt against Shere Khan's eyes to blind him while running.

"Oh, you're going to try and outrun me," Shere Khan scoffed. "How droll."

Patch, Cherry, and Atticus soon joined Mowgli.

"Try not to be scared," Atticus advised Cherry. "Animals can smell fear."

Mo looked around as she held Darla's hand while leading them back to the village.

"Mo, wait, we can't just leave them!" Darla told her.

Mowgli soon came to them.

"Mowgli?!" Mo gasped.

"Come on, this way!" Mowgli led them.

"Alright!" Darla told him.

Shere Khan snarled as he soon came after them.

"Oh, just great," Mo groaned. "He's coming after us!"

"Great plan, Atticus!" Cherry deadpanned as they ran for their lives.

"There are some gongs in a temple," Atticus whispered to her. "If we play each one at a time, then he'll start getting angry and confused by each direction they're coming from."

"Okay, that's actually smart." Cherry admitted.

Shanti soon followed after them before telling Rajan to stay where he was.

* * *

Shere Khan snarled and continued the chase.

"Don't move." Shanti told Ranjan before running off to help Mowgli.

Rajan began to try to catch up with them. His pants got caught at in a branch at first, so he was going to be stuck for a little while until the branch soon flung him over the log and he had bumped into Baloo. He soon gasped at the sight of the bear and began to run away before being held back.

"Whoa, whoa, hold still, calm down, kid," Baloo smiled as he picked up the young boy. "Now, where's Mowgli?"

"Shere Khan!" Ranjan cried out.

"Shere Khan?! Hold on." Baloo said before putting him on his shoulders and then making his way to Mowgli.

"Whoa!" Ranjan yelped as he rode on Baloo's shoulders.


	7. Chapter 7

Cherry panted as she kept running with Atticus and Mowgli before she stopped. "I can't run anymore..." She then pouted as she was out of shape to run and keep up with them.

Atticus soon picked her up and gave her a piggyback ride.

"Are you sure I'm not too heavy?" Cherry asked.

"Please." Atticus snorted.

"Oh, right," Cherry said. "Supeer-strength."

"Hang on tight." Atticus told her before running with her.

They soon kept running away from the tiger and headed right for the temple.

* * *

And where they knew what to do once they were in the temple. Atticus soon put Cherry back down on her feet. Cherry went forward, but Atticus soon held her back since there was lava below the bridge.

"Oh, now what?" Cherry asked Atticus nervously.

Atticus soon whispered to them of where the gongs were and where to hide. Mowgli soon jumped over to the other edge.

"Come on, Cherry." Atticus told his best friend.

Cherry backed up nervously. "L-L-Lava..."

Atticus soon picked her up and jumped over the edge.

"WAAAAH!" Cherry yelped.

Mowgli nearly slid and tried to climb over, but was stuck. He soon made it up as Shere Khan was right behind them and he pounced over the lava pit, making it up the stairs behind them.

"He's behind us..." Cherry said in a scared tone.

"Quick, let's get to our stations." Atticus said.

Cherry shivered nervously before she ran off to her spot while Mowgli and Atticus went to their own.

"No matter how fast you run, no matter where you hide, I will catch you." Shere Khan mocked.

Mo soon ran to her spot.

"Oh, please let this work..." Cherry said to herself quietly and nervously.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are." Shere Khan smirked as he entered the temple while looking for the humans.

"Okay, and now." Atticus whispered before he and Patch hit their gong.

* * *

Shanti and Darla were soon rushing to the temple despite being told to go back to the village. They soon heard the echo of the gong. Shanti covered Darla's mouth as they hid away from the tiger.

"That was close." Darla muffled.

Baloo, Ranjan, and Bagheera soon made it over to the temple as it got dark and lightning seemed to flash as thunder struck.

"Take the kid, Baggy," Baloo told the panther as he put Ranjan on the floor and ran off inside of the temple. "I'll go help the kid!"

"Baloo!" Bagheera called out.

Baloo turned back to the black panther.

"Be careful." Bagheera told him gently.

Baloo nodded to him and soon went inside.

* * *

Meanwhile in the temple, Atticus's plan was working perfectly.

"Why was I cursed to talk to animals anyway?" Cherry complained to herself. "Why couldn't I had another hidden talent like curling my tongue or something stupid like that?" She soon heard how angry Shere Khan was getting. She curled up slightly and shivered anxiously. "I'm going to talk to Mom and Dad about this animal speech thing..." she then said to herself, trying not to make too much noise.

Baloo soon looked around for Mowgli while Shanti did the same thing, and where they soon bumped into each other. "You! You stay away from me! What're you doing here?! I'm here to help Mowgli!"

They both then stopped once they realized why they were both there.

"Uh, I guess we're on the same side." Baloo smiled to Shanti.

"I guess so." Shanti replied.

* * *

They both then split up and Baloo soon spotted Shere Khan, and where he saw what was going on and decided to join in. Lightning flashed as Shere Khan soon came toward the gong that was being pounded on by Baloo. Shanti soon came behind another gong and hit that with two sticks to throw off the evil tiger. Mo soon banged on her gong then. Shere Khan snarled as he was soon running around in circles, and where it seemed like the plan was working until one of the gongs became loose. Cherry cringed nervously as she feared that it would be her, but it was actually Shanti.

"Oh, no!" Shanti whimpered once Shere Khan spotted her.

"Hey, I lucked out, and I didn't even get hurt." Cherry smiled innocently.

As if karma wasn't being fair, her gong soon fell next. Cherry's eyes widened as she then bit her lip. The gong seemed to slide down on the other side before falling on her.

"WHY!?" Cherry cried out.

"Well, if isn't this a pleasant surprise?" Shere Khan smirked.

Shanti frowned as she lowered her sticks as Cherry struggled to stand up.

"So, who's it going to be, Man Cub?" Shere Khan challenged. "You or your adorable little girlfriend?"

Mowgli knew which one Shere Khan meant. Shanti tried to throw sticks at Shere Khan only to have worse luck than Cherry.

"I'm waiting~" Shere Khan taunted Mowgli. "One... Two-"

"No, don't!" Mowgli cried out as he ran out and showed himself.

"No more games, Man Cub." Shere Khan glared.

Lightning flashed as Mowgli soon ran and Shere Khan snarled while coming after him. Baloo soon charged at him. Shere Khan then knocked down on the floor.

"Way to go, Baloo!" Atticus cheered.

Mowgli and Shanti soon ran together.

"Somebody...?" Cherry weakly called since she was still crushed by her gong.

Atticus soon lifted the gong off her.

"Thanks..." Cherry said before standing up though was hunched until Atticus fixed her back for her.

"Atticus!" Darla called out as she soon ran toward her big brother and she soon hugged him, happy to see him.

"Darla, what are you doing here?" Atticus asked.

"Shanti brought me here." Darla replied.

"Should have known." Atticus said.

Shere Khan tried to lunge out for Mowgli only to be tackled down by Baloo. The tiger soon got loose and continued his hunting.

"Mowgli, look out!" Baloo warned the feral boy.

"We have to protect Mowgli and Shanti!" Patch told them.

"Can they make the jump?" Cherry asked worriedly. "There's a lava pit below."

"Why is it always a lava pit?!" Darla complained.

"I'm sure they can make it." Atticus said.

Mowgli and Shanti soon jumped and made it on the other side away from the evil tiger, and where Shere Khan made it, only for him to hang on to the side of it with his claws. Mowgli soon helped Shanti up as Shere Khan stalked right behind them.

"Mowgli..." Shere Khan grinned maliciously as he almost had them, but before he could get to them, the ground underneath them moved.

Darla bit her nails nervously as she felt worried for Mowgli and Shanti right now.

"Uh, is that a statue head of a tiger?" Mo asked.

"I think it is." Patch replied.

"I think it's leaning into the lava pit." Darla said.

Shanti and Mowgli screamed as it looked like they were going to fall in while Shere Khan lost his grip and fell from the statue head. Luckily, Baloo took Shanti's hand and Mowgli grabbed onto her ankle.

"Oh, thank goodness." Atticus said as he saw that.

* * *

As for Shere Khan, well, he was now trapped and was now going to be tortured by an annoying vulture.

"Should we get him?" Cherry asked.

Cherry, Atticus, and Patch paused for a few moments to think this over until they finally reached a verdict together. "Naaaaah!"

"I think he deserves to get tortured." Darla smirked.

"You said it, Dimples." Cherry agreed.

Shere Khan groaned as he was soon trapped with a certain vulture who was more annoying than the other four who were like The Beatles.


	8. Chapter 8

They soon left the temple and went back into the jungle to be safe and sound.

"I hope we can still find the villagers." Darla said.

"Don't worry, I'm sure we will." Patch coaxed.

* * *

 ** _In the jungle, the mighty jungle..._**

Everyone laughed as they reunited together as Bagheera brought Ranjan over to Shanti and Mowgli.

"Were you a good boy for Bagheera?" Mo asked Ranjan.

"Uh-huh, uh-huh." Ranjan smiled before running to Shanti and hugging her.

Shanti was then happy and hugged the little boy back. Mowgli and Bagheera soon shared a hug together which was touching considering their relationship from since the very beginning. They all soon walked through the jungle.

"Guys, I see lights!" Atticus told the others. "It must be the villagers!"

"Wahoo!" Darla smiled.

"There they are!" Shanti beamed.

"Papa!" Ranjan cheered. "Wahoo!"

"Come on, Mowgli!" Shanti smiled to her best friend before she soon saw that he wasn't moving.

"Mowgli...?" Darla asked softly.

Mowgli merely sighed and bowed his head as he looked upset about something.

"We'll give you a moment alone with Baloo and Bagheera." Mo said.

"Shanti, you should go." Atticus gently added.

Shanti and Mowgli looked to each other before Shanti soon went going back to the villagers. Atticus knew that this would be a very hard thing for Mowgli to do. Shanti took Ranjan's hand and they soon went going.

"It's going to be okay, Mowgli." Atticus said.

"I know, but it's just so hard to say goodbye." Mowgli said as he softly looked over to him.

"I know how you feel..." Atticus replied. "I thought I'd have to say goodbye to my best friend and girlfriend after our big adventure together."

"Really?" Mowgli asked.

"Yeah, it was really hard on me," Atticus explained. "I mean, I finally had a real girlfriend, but also, I probably had to leave the friend I've known for such a long time who's almost like a sister to me."

"So, how are you with both of them?" Mowgli asked.

"Well, we all keep in touch when we go far away, and we're together now of course," Atticus replied. "That and Cherry's parents found a place to stay in the same country as her aunt and uncle who are also Mo's parents."

"Wow... Really...?" Mowgli asked.

"Yeah, it felt like fate was on our side," Atticus replied. "And we all lived happily ever after, and so will you."

"Thanks, Atticus." Mowgli smiled.

"Sure thing." Atticus smiled back before going to give him some privacy.

Patch, Mo, and Cherry soon joined him. Mowgli soon looked over to Baloo and ran toward the bear to hug him.

"It's okay, kid," Baloo soothed. "That girl isn't so bad, now is she?"

Mowgli bowed his head and shook it before hugging Baloo again as he felt emotional. This was hard to do for the former feral boy to do.

"You've gotta go back where you belong now," Cherry quoted as she looked just as emotional to fit the mood. "You gotta go... Before... Baloo, please. Please, there's no time. Don't worry about us. We'll be alright. **GET OUT OF HERE!** Can't you see we don't want you anymore?! Why can't you go back where you came from?! Leave us alone! **JUST GO!** "

 _'Someone is being dramatic.'_ Darla thought to herself.

"Is that from a TV show?" Patch asked Atticus.

"A movie," Atticus told him. "I think Cherry said it's called Harry and the Hendersons."

"Who and the what?" Patch asked.

"I'll have her explain it to you later." Atticus told him.

Mowgli soon came back to the others as Baloo looked like he was about to cry.

"You ready to go back to the village?" Mo smiled.

"I guess so..." Mowgli sighed.

"It'll be okay," Mo soothed. "Come along now."

* * *

They soon made their way to the villagers.

"Mowgli!" Shanti smiled as she wiped her eye.

"What took ya so long?" Ranjan asked with a laugh before he came to the older boy and hugged him.

"He had to say goodbye to Baloo and Bagheera." Mo said.

"Now then, Shanti, let's get back." Mowgli said before taking the girl's hand and running with her.

"Come on, Ranjan!" Shanti smiled.

* * *

They all soon returned to the searching adults and they looked happy to see the kids were safe and sound.

"Shanti!" Shanti's mother smiled in relief.

Shanti soon hugged her mother. Ritesh and Messau soon reunited with Ranjan.

"A family reunited," Mo smiled. "Is there any happier sight?"

"Family..." Patch repeated softly before he soon began to think about his parents and numerous siblings.

"So, shall we get back home?" Darla asked.

"Sounds good to me." Cherry accepted.

"Alright then." Atticus said.

* * *

They soon went into the village to get ready to go back where they belonged like in their first Jungle Book adventure.

"You're leaving?" Mowgli asked.

"We must get back to where we belong, Mowgli," Cherry told him. "Just like when you first met Shanti and left the jungle."

"She's right." Atticus nodded.

"Will you ever come back though?" Mowgli asked.

"Aw, come on, Mowgli, we came back now, didn't we?" Atticus replied. "It's not like we're gone forever. Besides, the jungle has awesome adventures for us, like when Cherry got to meet George of the Jungle..." he then said the last part in jealousy.

"I said sorry, Atticus, but you told me you were busy, so I asked my other friend!" Cherry defended. "Besides, I promised you that you would meet him the next time I would visit them."

"You promise?" Atticus pouted.

"I promise..." Cherry rolled her eyes. "Maybe you can bond with his son."

"Cool." Atticus smiled.

"I knew that would work." Cherry smirked to herself.

"Well, then I guess I'll see you all next time." Mowgli told them.

"Next time," Atticus smiled. "Be a good boy."

"I'll try." Mowgli replied.

Everyone soon waved and said goodbye as they were on their way out. Atticus soon teleported them back home.

* * *

"Air conditioning..." Cherry said in relief as she cranked up the air conditioner to make it cold as she felt too warm from being in the jungle. "Ah, that feels so good..."

"Thank goodness we're back home." Darla smiled.

"There's no place like it." Patch smiled back.

"Oh, thanks for the adventure, Atticus," Mo smiled as she hugged her boyfriend. "That was amazing."

"I had a feeling you would enjoy it." Atticus smiled back.

Cherry soon took out her book and added this adventure to her list as her book was nearly full. "Man, what else is next?" she then wondered.

"You think we'll meet The Mummy?" Patch joked.

"Oh, Patch!" Cherry rolled her eyes. "You sound like my cousin Cleo whenever she visits the Ancient Egyptian museum at her hometown with her cat."

"I'm just joking." Patch said.

"Besides, those are just movies like Kangaroo Jack." Cherry scoffed.

"Right, right." Patch nodded.

"Hey, guys, glad to see you home." Casper smiled as he held his comic book.

"Hey, Casper, whatcha got there?" Atticus asked.

"Kung Fu Panda," Casper replied. "I'm just reading the issues about The Furious Five, and I'm on the story about Tigress... It's actually kinda sad."

"Really?" Mo asked.

"Tigress first lived at the Bao Gu Orphanage as a little girl, where she received help in controlling her strength and temper from Shifu, who later took her in as his student," Casper read aloud from the passage in his comic book. "Over the years, she trained under Shifu's strict instruction, developing into a powerful fighter and forming a stern personality. Eventually she became a member of the Furious Five along with Mantis, Viper, Monkey, and Crane."

"Wow." Mo smiled.

"Hm... I think I like this one they call Tigress." Cherry smirked.

The End


End file.
